The love of a mother
by The Cinder Crown
Summary: It took a lot of effort and strength, but Hogwarts has finally been rebuilt and a big feast with everyone's family is held to celebrate. But the long overdue union of mother and daughter is the real reason for happiness. COMPLETE.


**Creatures #5 - Chiron:** Write about someone who is not a stereotypical something (ex: Sirius wasn't a stereotypical Black) **Alternatively, write about a bond between a teacher and student** **[Greek Mythology Competition]**

 **Dame#11.** "It's not that easy." **[Royalty Competition; 1000+ words]**

 **#D.8.** Write about a character finding out their parents aren't really their parents **[Scavenger Hunt]**

 **#514.** Secrets

 **Words:** 2,490

* * *

 _The Love of a Mother_

* * *

" _Come on, you're almost there," the mediwitch urged, "all I need is one more push!"_

 _The black haired woman on the bed vehemently shook her head. "I – I can't," was all she said as yet another contraction rippled through her slim body and a tear rolled from her vibrant emerald eyes._

 _The mediwitch looked at her friend with a very concerned glance. The situation was dangerous as it was since the child was not due for another month. Adding the fact that the slender witch had been in labour for over 24 hours now, pain and total exhausting were about to get the better of her, which meant something had to be done or both mother and child would die._

" _I know you're exhausted, but you can do this," the healer tried to sound reassuring. "You have to. Or you'll lose the child."_

 _Relieved the blonde mediwich saw her friend holding on to the edge of the bed, takin a deep breath and ignored all the pain that was shooting through her like a well placed crutiatus._

 _The woman fell back against her pillow and watched the mediwitch take the child away._

" _Is- how… is she…?" she stuttered terrified, unable to form a full sentence._

 _The mediwitch who had been working on the child turned around and smiled. "She's alive."_

 _A wave of relieve flooded through the black haired woman and more tears fell from her eyes, though this time they were happy tears._

" _Here," the mediwitch said and placed the little green bundle in the fresh mother's arms. "Say hello to your daughter."_

" _She's beautiful…"she whispered in awe._

" _Indeed she is," the blonde witch said smiling._

 _The mediwitch smiled as she watched her friend and quietly whispering to the little girl. But sadly, she knew that this little moment of happiness wouldn't last long. She just hoped that both mother and daughter would cope with what was about to come._

* * *

" – and without you all, Hogwarts would not shine in the beauty it does today," the Headmistress of Hogwarts finished her little speech. "Thank you all. For everything."

Minerva saw the people around her cheering as she ascended the stairs of the little podium, that had been built at the end of the great hall. She was grateful for the little banister she could hold on to, since it has been some years since she had last worn the floor-length emerald green muggle dress and the high shoes.

The music started and some of the guest already started to make their way over to the dancefloor. Minerva, however walked straight towards the table, where Rolanda had kindly reserved her a spot. She smiled when she saw that young Harry, Ron and the other Weasleys, Neville and his grandmother, Poppy and Rolanda, as well as Hermione and her parents already occupied the other seats at the table. She was happy that the young witch was able to successfully reunite with the Grangers. _No child should be separated from its parents,_ she thought with a heavy heart.

She felt some of the students – especially the younger ones – staring at her. After all, the Headmistress of Hogwarts wearing a long dress, that hugged her slim figure in all the right places and showed a lot more cleavage than she was comfortable with, wasn't something they saw every day.

It had taken several months of hard work, a lot of effort and dedication from everyone involved to rebuild Hogwarts after the final battle. Now, half a year later, they celebrated. They celebrated the downfall of the Dark Lord, the victory of the living and the sacrifice of all their fallen friends.

Staff and students all together had organized a beautiful muggle-themed winter-ball and invited everyone to the school in Scotland, to join with their families and friends – magical or muggle.

Minerva smiled when she returned to the big table, taking her seat between Hermione and Rolanda Hooch, however, not before brushing Hermione softly on the shoulder. The two of them had developed a rather unique relationship during the last couple of months, mostly due to Hermoine's ambition to become an animagus. Minerva had agreed immediately to help since she was more than grateful to be given the opportunity to bond a little more time with the girl.

"Jean, William," the emerald eyed witch said and held out a hand for Hermione's parents to shake.

"Minerva," the blonde woman acknowledged, smiling. "It's good to see you again," the tall, brown haired man added, also smiling.

Before the transfiguration mistress could respond anything, she was not so politely interrupted by a rather hysteric Rolanda.

"You are unbelievable!" The flying instructor shouted with wide eyes.

Minerva stared at her, one eyebrow raised and a somewhat confused expression on her face. "Rolanda what in the name of Merlin – "

"The dress," she said outraged and gestured from her simply black one to Minerva's elegant green one. "Do you know how unfair it is that you can still wear dresses like this?!"

Minerva, despite her best efforts, blushed a deep crimson, "The bloody dress wasn't my choice, Rolanda. I know very well that I am too old to wear something as low-cut as that!"

"I'd say it looks quite stunning, Minerva," Harry shouted from the other end of the table and other voices of compliments followed.

Minerva blushed even more. "Well, thank you Mr. Potter," she said and gave him a small smile.

"It's Harry, remember?"

Minerva chuckled, "I'm trying, Harry. It's not that easy to shake off old habits."

The war had brought people together, especially all the younger adults that had been working hand in hand with the order. Adding the rebuilding of Hogwarts, Minerva found no sense in them calling her 'Headmistress' or 'Professor' and offered them the use of her first name. The result was that they all insisted to be called by their first names, too.

"Excuse me, but if you didn't chose the dress, then who did?" Jean Granger asked curious, "If you don't mind me asking, that is."

"Not at all, Jean," Minerva replied and glanced at Hermione, her emerald eyes twinkling, "since it was this little lion here who forced me to wear it."

Everyone started laughing and looked from Hermione to Minerva.

"I didn't force you, Minerva," Hermione defended herself, grinning. "You just lost our bet!"

Minerva rolled her eyes at the young witch.

"You've got to be kidding," Rolanda shouted laughing,

"What in Merlin's name did you bet about that made Minerva lose?" Poppy Pomfrey asked with a smile on her face.

Minerva smiled when she saw Hermione beaming brightly. "I told her I would be able to change into my animagus from before the ball today. And I did."

"Really?" Molly Weasley asked from a couple of seats away, "This is amazing, dear!"

"What form are you changing into?" Augusta Longbottom, also an old friend of Minerva's, asked from her place next to her grandson Neville.

Hermione smiled at the Grangers and Minerva before she proudly answered, "A lioness."

A couple of people stared at the young witch in awe, Rolanda however, turned to Minerva.

"That's what I call a coincidence! Isn't your second animagus form also a lioness, Min?"

Minerva cringed a little. She would rather Rolanda had not brought up that particular topic.

"A second animagus from?" Hermione asked astonished. "I had no idea something like that was possible!"

Harry and the other younger students also looked at the Headmistress with – if possible – even more respect and admiration than before.

"Are you really surprised, my dear?" Augusta Longbottom asked and eyed Minerva with a sharp glance, "She's a black level transfiguration mistress. Not to forget to mention – _how did the Daily Prophed say it again?_ Ah, yes, the most powerful witch alive."

The emerald eyed witch rolled her eyes. She hated it when someone used that term with her. "Augusta, please."

After all, there had been times, darker than these, where she didn't feel powerful at all. Small, afraid and scared would have suited better…

* * *

 _A hooded figure stood inside a small living room, looking at the two people in front of her, with a pained expression and trembling hands._

" _Are you sure you want to trust us with her?" the man asked one last time, and looked at the beautiful hazel-eyed baby, that was securely wrapped in several green blankets in his wife's arms._

 _The black haired witch nodded, a tear rolling down her cheek. "I've been told you always wished for a child," she whispered, "I know you will take good care of her."_

" _We will," the blond woman said, "I promise."_

" _And one day," the tall, brown haired man continued, "when she's old enough, we will tell her the truth."_

" _Thank you," the emerald eyed woman said, then kissed her daughter one last time on the forehead. "I'm so sorry, I wish I could give you the love you deserve, my darling. But it's too dangerous for you to stay with me. Goodbye, my little lion."_

* * *

"Can you teach me how to achieve a second form, Minerva? Please?" The young Gryffindor pleaded the witch in the green dress.

The Headmistress sighed slightly and shook her head, thinking. "It will take a lot of time and hard work, my dear. And it can be dangerous," she finally said.

The young adult nodded sincerely, "I understand."

"Good," the transfiguration mistress said and looked at the girl's parents. "I am aware of the fact that you are off age, my dear, but I would like your parent's to give their permission, too."

"Mum, Dad?" Hermione asked carefully.

Jean smiled at the girl before looking in the emerald eyes of the Headmistress. "Do _you_ think it's safe for her, Minerva?"

Hermione saw that the black haired witch held her mother's gaze, and for some reason, she was sure that some kind of unspoken conversation passed between the two women. Finally, Minerva nodded, and so did Jean and William Granger.

Hermione beamed and grabbed Minerva's hand, smiling warmly at her. "Thank you."

"Merlin," Rolanda sighed, "How two people can have the same affection for Transfiguration is really beyond me…"

Minerva rolled her eyes at her friend; but couldn't contain the small smile that had appeared on her face; especially after hearing all the amused laughers around her.

"Well, like mother, like daughter, right?" Poppy Pomfrey laughed whole-heartedly, before quickly putting her hands over her mouth, realizing she had just spilled something she shouldn't have.

Hermione's eyes widened and everyone else on the table immediately turned to look at the now dangerously pale and shell-shocked Headmistress. Well, everyone except Mr. and Mrs. Granger that is, for they were the ones the black haired witch had trusted with her probably biggest secret.

"So it's really true?" Hermione whispered and looked from her adoptive parents to the witch she had always considered to be her 'Hogwarts-Mother'. "You are really my birth mother?"

The Headmistress was still unable to speak. So the young Gryffindor looked at her parents, and upon seeing them nod with a bright smile, Hermione jumped up from her chair and pulled the emerald eyed witch next to her into a lovingly bone-crushing embrace.

To say Minerva was shocked would be the understatement of the century. After all those years of separation, she had feared the girl didn't want to have anything to do with her once she had learned the truth. She didn't know how, but she managed to somehow wrap her own arms around the brown haired witch and held her close. Relieve flooded through her like a wave, and tears started to form in her eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Hermione whispered through her tears, still clinging to Minerva.

Minerva, unable to contain her own tears anymore, whispered, "I was afraid you wouldn't forgive me for giving you up."

Loosening her grip on her, Hermione grabbed her _mother's_ hand and squeezed it gently. "I don't forgive you. Because there is nothing to forgive. I know now what it feels like to life through a war. My parents always told me that my real mother just tried to keep me safe. And you continued doing so when I started Hogwarts. "

"You watched over all of us, Minerva," Harry added and smiled at his best friend and former Professor. "That's all that counts. And you _did_ chose wonderful people to take care of your daughter." He said and gestured towards the two elder Grangers."

Minerva, still holding Hermione in her arms, smiled gratefully at the two muggles, but before she could say anything she was interrupted by a rather furious Rolanda Hooch.

"MINERVA ESMERALDA McGONAGALL," Minerva visibly cringed at the tone and the use of her second name. She turned slightly to look at her longtime friend. "You have _a daughter_ and you didn't bloody tell me?"

"I didn't tell _anyone_ , Rolanda – " Minerva started to defend herself, only to be interrupted once more.

" _Poppy_ knew!"

"Yes, only because I had to help her deliver the little girl," Poppy said laughing, "Little Mrs Stubborn over there probably wouldn't have said anything to me either, had it not been for that."

Hermione, the Granger's and the other people at the table laughed; Minerva just rolled her eyes, but a little smile was playing around the corners of her lips.

Once everyone had calmed down again, Hermione carefully turned towards her newly found mother. "I – I don't want to intrude, but – "

"But what, dear?" Minerva asked gently and softly squeezed her hand.

"Is my father still alive?" she asked timidly.

Minerva sighed, and upon seeing her friend shaking her head sadly, Rolanda knew what her friend's expression meant and forgot her anger for a moment and had to blink away upcoming tears. "No, I am sad to say that he is no longer amongst us. But he was a very good man and would have loved to be here today."

Hermione nodded and a tear rolled down her cheek, before she, once more, hugged her mother. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," the Headmistress said and held her close, "It's not your fault. I will tell you more about him, but now is not the time for that. I am just so glad to have you back, my little lion."

"So am I, _Mum,"_ Hermione said smiling and a happy tear rolled down the elder witch's cheek.

Everyone else, including Rolanda, Augusta, Jean, William, Harry and the others smiled brightly at the scene.

"My… Mother and daughter finally reunited," Poppy whispered, also crying happy tears, "A happy end at last!"

"But don't you dare think for only a moment that this conversation is over, Minnie," Rolanda shouted with madly twinkling eyes, causing everyone but Minerva to burst into laughter, especially because of the use of her much hated nickname. "I won't let you get away without spilling some of these dirty little secrets of yours."


End file.
